One of my favorite high school teachers was Mrs. Ide. She was my _______ teacher and the leader of our choir (合唱团). It was Mrs. Ide who asked me to _______ the school choir. Mrs. Ide was a great teacher, because she believed in all of us and was a musical genius (天才).

Mrs. Ide always had _______ topics for her music class. She had ideas to make them fun every time. We worked in groups in class. We studied for musicals（like Cats, My Fair Lady）and everyone of us had a part to act and sing. When we _______ studying our parts, we had a “creative evening”, where all our families, friends and teachers came and watched our play.

Mrs. Ide believed in our musical talents. She taught us to be self-confident with our voices and how to use different skills to _______ our singing. She told us every week that we all had great talent, and it felt really good that she had such confidence in our musical _______ .

I can say that Mrs. Ide was the best teacher and she _______ cared about us. She helped everyone in her class to be more self-confident. Also she taught us skills, so that we were able to train at home alone. She was the person who _______ me to study singing. I really hope that there are other teachers like her, who are an inspiration (鼓舞人的人) for students and their future.

It was the turkey that made it the worst Thanksgiving ever…well, it _______ did.

All the family—my grandparents, my parents, my aunt and uncle, my cousin, my sister and I— _______ the turkey. However, turkey is not the easiest thing to _______. It takes a lot of time to prepare and a lot of work to cook…and there are a lot of chances for things to go wrong.

My mum and dad bought a nice, big turkey a few days before Thanksgiving. _______ was proud of herself as she got it for a good price. _______ Thanksgiving, Mum got the turkey out of the fridge. Early the next morning, my sister and I helped her put some butter and salt on the turkey. After that, Mum put it in the oven. It looked like it would be delicious. My sister and I were _______.

But soon, we noticed something was wrong. The oven was _______. Dad checked it closely. _______ he said in a low voice, “it’s broken.”

Mum’s heart almost stopped. She didn’t want her dinner to be a failure. We didn’t know _______. How were we going to feed everyone without the turkey? Mum looked worried.

Finally, Dad had an idea, and we all agreed with his suggestion to order ________ instead. After all, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks and spending time with your family.

That evening, we shared a delicious pizza. We had a great time, talking, eating and playing games. Thanksgiving without turkey can still be fun!

4 . Natasha ran as fast as she could to the tennis court (球场). The practice was already starting. Coach Parks made the players who came late ______ all the tennis balls after practice was over " Great, " Natasha thought as she ran, " that means I'll be ______ for my guitar lesson. " The day was full of ______, classes and projects. Natasha felt sure there was something she was forgetting.

When practice ______, Natasha raced around the court, picking up the yellow tennis balls and putting them into a large plastic bucket(桶) . Her mind was already working on how to say ______ to her guitar teacher, Mr Takanawa, when she saw her mother's red car coming.

Natasha returned the balls and bucket to the coach and ran to her mother. " Do you think Mr. Takanawa will be ______ that I'm late?"

"We moved your guitar lesson to next Monday," Mom said, smiling. " Did you _____ what day it is today, sweetie?"

Natasha thought back _____. "Well, yesterday was science club and swim practice, and tomorrow is dance class and then volunteer time at the library, ______ that means today is Wednesday. I didn't forget. "

"You're right. It is Wednesday, Wednesday the 18^th , which means…"

Natasha's face ______ bright red." Oh no! How could I forget my own birthday dinner? Well, at least this means I won't have to say sorry to Mr. Takanawa for being late! "

My grandfather is now 76 years old and he lives with us. When I was young, we got along very well with each other. He was _____ and happy. He told me stories and liked spending his free time playing games _____ me.

But he is changing these days. Now he's always complaining and criticizing(批评). I can't stop him when he is talking. He says it's _____ to do that. He doesn't like my clothes. "Nice girls don't _____ like that." And I shouldn't wear make-up(化妆). "Natural _____ is the best, "he often says.

Sometimes he asks me to show him my _____." When I was young, I did math differently, "he says. To be _____, he's so old and he doesn't know anything at all. But that doesn't stop him criticizing me. He doesn't like my friends or my favourite _____. "You're making too much noise, " he shouts. "I can't get to sleep." When he's not complaining, he asks questions, " Where are you going? Where have you been? Why don't you help your mother?" This makes me _____. He thinks I'm six, not sixteen. However, why _____ I do what I like?

I'm trying to understand him. Will he understand me?

6 . Life is a clock swing. Half the time things are better than normal; the other half, they are _________. It takes time and experience to understand _________ the normal is, and that gives me the ideas to _________ the surprises of the future. But there is a large grassland of life in the middle, where the bad and the good flip-flop (突然改变) magically. This is what convinces me to _________ the 50-percent theory (理论).

One spring I planted corn too early in a bottomland (低洼地), so my neighbors laughed at me. I felt _________ at the wasted effort. Summer turned cruel-the worst _________ and drought (干旱) in my lifetime. The air conditioner died; the well went dry; the marriage ended; the job was _________; the money was gone. Only a popular Kansas City Royals team, bound for their first World Series, _________ my spirits.

Looking back on that _________ summer, I soon understood that all succeeding good things just __________ the bad. I was owed (感恩) and enjoyed the happy times. They encouraged me for the next dangerous surprise and offered belief that I can succeed. The 50-percent theory even helps me see __________ beyond my Royals' recent fall.

Oh, yeah, the corn crop? For that hot summer, the ground __________ was just right, and the lack of rain spared the standing corn from floods. That winter my house was crowded with corn-fat and healthy __________ my neighbors' fields yielded only brown and empty husks (壳).

Although plantings that year may have fallen below the original expectation and they probably will do so again in the future, I am __________ encouraged by the crop that had a “good” __________ during the drought.

How would you use a radio or a telephone if you had no electricity or batteries? These ________ bothered (烦扰) British inventor Trevor Baylis. So in 1996 he ________ a wind-up (装有发条的) radio. It doesn’t need electricity or batteries. You wind it up ________ hand. It plays for about an hour. Then, you wind it up ________. Today it’s made in South Africa.

Then in 1999, Baylis invented a mobile telephone that is powered by ________. The shoes contain (含有) a small battery that is powered when you ________. This battery is connected to a mobile phone. These two simple inventions can bring modern ________ to all parts of the world.

Baylis doesn’t have a university degree in engineering. In ________, he has left high school before graduating (毕业). He just loves ________ things to help people. He never knows ________ ideas will come to him. The idea for the telephone came to him in a dream.

8 . My dad left my family when I was 6 years old. I had to live with my mom from then on. As a single mother, my mom had to work for _______of us in the city. She worked hard to _______ our rent (房租）and my school. As a result, there wasn't much money left for _______ things.

One day, my best friend _______ me to his birthday party. My mom had just paid the rent and we didn't have much money left, so I could not afford a _______ I just brought a birthday card. I was old enough to understand, but still felt sad.

To show my _______, I arrived at my friend's house early. My friend's mom knew my family's predicament(窘境), so she took me to a room _______ and showed me some new toys. She let me _______ one and write my name on it. I was _______and touched by her kindness.

I'm 37 now. ________my mom is no longer single and our family isn't poor anymore, I am still grateful to my friend's mom for what she did. That act had a big influence on me.

9 . I was a teacher at a kindergarten three years ago in the city of Atlanta. One day, a little boy ran fast on the playground. Then I saw him_______into a little girl and she fell down.

Like many other common stories, the story _______ go on like this. The girl began to cry, but the little boy just looked at the little girl _______. Then the girl ran to me and complained about the boy.

She would ask me _______ the boy.

Then let me tell you what _______ next. The little boy laid himself down on the floor quickly.

Then _______ stood up and walked to the little girl. He pulled _______ the little girl and said, "I'm sorry. It seemed that we knocked into each other. I hope it didn't hurt you. "The little girl looked surprised, _______ she still stood up and said, "Oh, sorry!" Then they walked away.

_______surprised I was when I saw what the boy did! Though he was just ________ little boy, he stopped a bad result from happening in a very simple way. The wisdom(智慧)of children always surprised me.

10 . Shyness can be an unhappy feeling. But the good news is, you’re not alone. Scientists say that more than 40 percent of teenagers and adults consider _______ shy. Shyness is feeling a little nervous or as if you want to hide when you re around other people or in a new situation.

What _______ people shy?

Scientists say such things as genetics (遗传基因), life experiences, and environment can influence whether a person is shy. For example, in some families, everybody seems _______ shy.

What happens _______ you are shy? Well, being shy _______ cause you to avoid or miss opportunities you would enjoy.

How do people overcome (克服) shyness? This is what Gilbert tells us. “When I started off trying to get over being shy, I decided to do little steps at a time, including practicing _______ and saying hi to people. And it worked for me.”

But shyness is not the kind of thing _______ most people can get over overnight. Overcoming shyness takes time and needs practice.

Here are some tips given _______ scientists.

Think of _______ to talk about before you leave home. Prepare things to talk about before you’re in a social situation. For example, if you know your classmates are ________ in an upcoming event, learn about it so you can join in the conversations.

Let people know you’re shy. If you’re shy, just show it Instead of letting people guess, ________ them the truth. Explain that you are shy and feel nervous ________ enjoy talking to people.

Make things easy for the other person. Remember, you’re not ________ only shy person around. Do what you think might help others feel good — for example, say hello or smile.

Pick one social skill to practice at a time Start simply. For example, smile or be ________ person to say hi. Choose skills you feel ________ with to practice for a day, a week, a month, or even a year.